Home / Guides / Aruba Beaches
Surfside Beach Aruba: Calm Swims and Planes Overhead
If you only have a few hours in Oranjestad, or you are killing time before a flight, Surfside beach Aruba is the answer. It is the town beach: calm, shallow, a few minutes from the airport and from downtown, with beach bars along the sand and jets dropping in over the water. Despite the name, there is no surf. That is the whole appeal.
Where Surfside is
The beach runs along L.G. Smith Boulevard on the southern edge of Oranjestad, next to Linear Park. The airport is about two minutes away by car. Downtown Oranjestad is only minutes away.
Parking is easy to find along the road, and the public bus runs past. For cruise passengers this is one of the simplest beaches to reach without a tour.
The water
Surfside is on the protected leeward side, and the water is shallow and almost always calm. Frommer’s singles it out as a favorite with Oranjestad residents and great for swimming. You can wade in slowly, float around, and not worry about waves knocking anybody over. That makes it a good choice for less confident swimmers and families with young kids.
It is not a snorkeling beach. For fish and coral, the northwest coast is far better.
Planes, sunsets and passing ships
Surfside’s party trick is the airport. Aircraft come in low over the water on approach, so plane spotters and kids tend to love it. In the late afternoon you can watch the sun go down with landing lights in the sky and the occasional cruise ship or fishing boat sliding past.
Facilities on Surfside beach Aruba
For a town beach, it is well set up. Based on the tourism board’s listing:
- Beach bars and restaurants along the sand, including Pincho’s, Barefoot and Reflexions Beach Club, plus a casual bar near the airport end.
- Loungers and beach beds for rent from Reflexions.
- Shade from kwihi trees, which is more natural shade than many Aruba beaches have.
- A floating inflatable water park just offshore with slides and climbing walls, which kids love. Check opening times and fees on the day.
- Water sports: stand-up paddleboarding and canoeing suit the flat water, and there is a dive school on the beach.
We have not listed prices, because they change. Expect to pay for chairs at the clubs and to buy something if you use a restaurant’s spot.
The Talk of the Town end
Frommer’s places Surfside across from the Talk of the Town Hotel and Beach Club, which runs a bar and provides towels and chairs for its own guests. It describes the beach as sleepy and intimate, popular with Arubans, and especially with people who live in Oranjestad. On a quiet weekday you can still see why.
Surfside vs. Eagle Beach
People sometimes ask whether they should skip Surfside and drive to Eagle Beach instead. If you have a full day and a car, Eagle Beach is wider, softer and more of a classic postcard. If you have two or three hours, are without a car, or have a flight to catch, Surfside saves you the time in traffic and gives you calm water and lunch in one spot. The two do different jobs.
Who it suits
| Great for | Not ideal for |
|---|---|
| Cruise passengers with a few hours | Snorkelers |
| Last swim before a flight | A quiet, remote feel |
| Families with small kids | Postcard white-sand width (Eagle Beach wins that) |
| Plane spotters and sunset drinks | Anyone who hates aircraft noise |
A simple Surfside plan
Cruise day: take a short taxi from town, swim in the morning, have lunch at one of the beach bars, and be back on board with time to spare.
Departure day: check out, drop bags in the car, and spend your last couple of hours here. You are minutes from the terminal. Bring a change of clothes and use the restaurant restrooms before heading to the airport.
Evening: come at golden hour for drinks and the sunset, then head into town for dinner.
Local tips
- It is a favorite with Oranjestad residents, so it has a more local feel than the hotel beaches.
- The kwihi shade is first-come, first-served. Arrive early on hot days.
- Linear Park runs right alongside if you want a stroll by the water after your swim.
- Mind the aircraft noise if you are hoping for a nap. It comes and goes, but it is loud.
Surfside will not top many “best beach” lists, and it does not need to. It is easy, calm and close, with food and shade right there. On the right day, with a drink in hand and a jet coming in over the water, it is exactly the beach you want.
Surfside beach Aruba FAQ
Is Surfside good for kids?
Yes. The water is shallow and calm, there is natural shade, and the floating water park and passing planes keep kids entertained.
Can you snorkel at Surfside?
Not really. For snorkeling, head to Arashi or Boca Catalina on the northwest coast, or Mangel Halto in the south.
Is there parking?
Yes, public parking close to the sand along the boulevard, plus public transport nearby.
What else is nearby?
Linear Park runs alongside, there is a dive school on the beach, and downtown restaurants and bars are a short ride away.